Meet First
Lieutenant Gerald Miller, P-51 Pilot, 351st Squadron, 353rd Fighter
Group, 8th Air Force - 22 Missions with 120 Hours of Combat Flight
Over Europe (1943-1945):
It
was late fall in 1943. Gerald Miller was a second year college
student in Upstate New York. He and several of his buddies
knew it was time to do their thing for the war effort, so they
enlisted in the Aviation Cadet Program. He was only 19 years
old. They were told to report Albany, NY for in processing and
orientation. From there, they were sent by train to
Atlantic City, NJ for 30 days of basic training. From there,
Gerald was sent up to Springfield, MA for additional training.
This is where he had his first introduction to airplanes. He
received 10 hours of dual instruction in Piper Cubs at a local
airfield. "I got sick on every flight, " quipped Gerry!
Two months later, Gerald
was sent to Nashville, TN for classification training. Here,
the Army decided which soldiers would become pilots, which would
become navigators, and which would become bombardiers.
Gerald was selected for pilot training. He was then shipped
off to Arcadia, FL for 60 days of primary flight training.
During that time, Gerald logged 75 hours in bi-wing, open cockpit
Stearmans (photo left - click on it to enlarge).
Gerald was then sent to
Maxwell Field in Montgomery, AL for additional flight training in
the BT (Basic Trainer) - 13. Then it
was on to Selma, Alabama for Advanced Flight Training in the AT
(Advanced Trainer) - 6. He spent two months there and was
received his wings and commission as a
Second Lieutenant. He then returned to his Lowville, NY home
for 30 days leave.
Following his leave,
Gerald reported to Selma Field in Alabama for P-40 training.
From there, he went to Tallahassee, FL for more classroom training,
then to Punta Gordo, FL for another 200 hours of P-40 training.
Second Lieutenant Gerald
Miller was ready for war! He was sent to England to join the
8th Air Force, 351s Squadron, 353rd Fighter Group. He was
assigned to fly the hottest fighter aircraft in the Army Air Force
arsenal at that time, the famed P-51 Mustang! (pictured below -
click to enlarge).
It was around this time
that General Jimmy Doolittle, Commander of the 8th Air Force,
expanded the mission of the P-51 from bomber escort only to
aggressively pursue the German Luftwaffe. This expanded role
placed Gerald on strafing missions over France, Germany, and
Czechoslovakia where he is credited for destroying numerous enemy
aircraft all while under heavy hostile fire.
Following the war,
Gerald returned to upstate New York to finish college. He
eventually went on to obtain a Master's degree in biology and
another Master's degree in social work. He also found time in
1948 to participate in the development of the P-80, America's first
combat jet. Gerald moved to Buffalo where he spent 32 years on
the faculty of the U.B. School of Social Work. Gerald is
a long time member of the Aero Club of Buffalo where he serves on
its Board of Directors.
The next time you see
First Lieutenant Gerald Miller, shake his hand and simply say,
"thanks, Gerry!"
It
was late fall in 1943. Gerald Miller was a second year college
student in Upstate New York. He and several of his buddies
knew it was time to do their thing for the war effort, so they
enlisted in the Aviation Cadet Program. He was only 19 years
old. They were told to report Albany, NY for in processing and
orientation. From there, they were sent by train to
Atlantic City, NJ for 30 days of basic training. From there,
Gerald was sent up to Springfield, MA for additional training.
This is where he had his first introduction to airplanes. He
received 10 hours of dual instruction in Piper Cubs at a local
airfield. "I got sick on every flight, " quipped Gerry!
